


Hulk Smash?

by vassalady



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22106869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: Steve does a charity event with Sam and Wanda, and when Sam helps calm one of the kids down, Steve melts.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 48
Collections: SamSteve Small Gifts





	Hulk Smash?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ficwriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficwriter/gifts).



As far as charity events went, visiting Little Rays in suit was not one of the worst that Steve had to do. Its full name was Little Rays and Rainbows (and Natasha had asked, “So who are the rays and who are the rainbows?”) and it serviced in need kids with a full daycare and afterschool program.

Only half of the Avengers had been able to come. Natasha opted to stay at the compound, and Vision had some work he was finishing up. Rhodey had planned on going, but a call from a general meant he had to extend his apologies.

That left just Wanda, Sam, and, of course, Steve.

How he was going to compete with magic powers and flight, he wasn’t entirely sure.

“You’ll have your share,” Sam said. “More than that. You’re Cap! Do you know I had you on a lunch tin from second to fifth grade?”

“Sounds great,” Steve said, not at all reassured by this.

Sam leaned in and pressed his lips to Steve’s temple. “Hey, kids are better than a bunch of bigwigs, right?”

That Steve could agree with.

He was used to the whole show pony thing of course. It just had never been something he’d enjoyed. Especially when it always ended in pushing bonds.

It turned out he needn’t have worried.

The kids were a swarm, and they piled and asked questions, and the teachers looked on frantically and repeated, “We do not push our friends, if I have to tell you one more time, Selena, you’re sitting in the office!” 

Both Wanda and Sam had their hands full, too, having fully impressed all the kids with the demonstrations they had performed a safe distance away only a half hour earlier in front of the press.

The press had now long left. They weren’t obligated to stay, but Steve didn’t want to disappoint the kids as long as the teachers would allow them. Eventually, however, lunch time became more important, and the transition away from the overstimulating superheroes began. 

“Thank you so much,” the director said, shaking each of their hands. “You don’t know what this means to us, really.”

“Oh, we are happy to do it,” Wanda said, smooth and lovely. She fell into an easy discussion with the director, who looked thrilled she could entertain a conversation with the Wanda Maximoff.

That’s when the screaming began.

“It’s time to go inside, Mateo,” one teacher said firmly but kindly.

“No!” the little boy screamed through sobs.

The director stepped in and nodded to the teacher. “Patty, go in with your class, I’ll bring in him in.”

The teacher nodded and left. Steve caught her nervous glance, and he smiled to reassure her it was fine.

Sam meanwhile walked right past him to crouch down by the crying boy.

“Hey, little guy,” Sam said. “Mateo, was it?”

Mateo continued to cry in response.

“Can you take a deep breath with me?”

Sam stuck out his chest and breathed deep in. “See I can get muscles like Cap this way.” He took in a deep breath and flexed. 

Mateo tried to stick out his chest, but the shaking sobs prevented him from doing much of anything. After a moment, though, his heaving sobs slowed and then, finally, came to a stop.

“What’s the matter?” the director asked. “Are you hurt?”

“I want-” Mateo took in a shaky breath and repeated, “I want, I want-”

“Slow down,” Sam said. “Take your time.”

Mateo took another few breaths, this time imitating Sam’s “Cap muscle” technique fairly well.

“I want to see the Hulk.”

Steve didn’t laugh. He wanted to. He had done nothing but hover nervously for what had looked like a terrible crisis, and that had been it? But he held back. It was hard being a kid sometimes.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said, looking genuinely apologetic. “If he could have been here, I’m sure he would have loved to meet you, too.”

Mateo’s face screwed up.

“But, hey,” Sam continued, “you know that’ll make him real happy to hear? The big guy’s always worried people don’t like him.”

“I like him,” Mateo insisted.

“A man of good taste,” Sam said. ‘I like the Hulk, too.” He raised his fist for a fist bump. “Hulk smash?”

“Hulk smash!” Mateo bumped his tiny fist against Sam’s.

Steve turned away.

As the director got Mateo to return to the building, with lots of waving to Sam, Wanda said quietly to Steve, “Are you okay?”

Steve felt his face flush. No, he wasn’t okay. He was not okay, because he had just witnessed one more instance of just why he adored Sam Wilson so much. “Just tired,” he managed to say, but Wanda’s look told him she didn’t buy it.

“Ready to go?” Sam asked, and Steve could only manage a nod.

When they got back to the compound, Steve grabbed Sam and pulled him into a quiet room. He hugged Sam close. Sam laughed and rubbed his back. “I appreciate the gesture, but what’s this?”

“You’re amazing,” Steve said into the crook of Sam’s neck. “Do you know that?”

“Uh, thanks?” Sam ran his hands along Steve’s back. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Steve pulled back, but he didn’t let go of Sam. He smiled. “I love you.”

Sam returned his smile, and Steve could stare at that smile all day. “I love you, too.”

They shared a kiss, and Steve reveled in the fact that he could kiss this man.

“Should we do more of these things?” Sam asked.

“If you want to melt my heart permanently.”

Sam laughed. “Mine’s already a permanent puddle of goo, so I beat you to it. Only thing I’m faster at than you.”

“Well,” Steve said as he leaned in, lips brushing Sam’s ear, “not the only thing.”

They ditched their date plans that night to stay in. As Steve held a sleepy Sam in his arms, he tried to place his heart back in some semblance of a shape. But it had well and truly melted for Sam, and Steve was fine with that.


End file.
